Matthias Schriefl and Shreefpunk > presented by Beluga Shipping
23 April 2009 > 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm > Hall 4.1
It is not without good reason that Matthias Schriefl and his formation Shreefpunk are already appearing at jazzahead! for the second time: With Allgäu charm he inspires listeners on an international level with a music that is shrewd and of varied timbre. What may at first seem to be irreconcilable comes together in Schriefl’s compositions, for the textures are in constant change. Here, brilliant technique is combined with surprising ideas. Matthias Schriefl is not only one of the most phenomenal newcomers to German jazz but is also among the best entertainers in his genre: Shreefpunk – that means amusing entertainment on a high level!


Line-up: Matthias Schriefl (tr, flh, melodica, celesta, toys & whistles) > Johannes Behr (g) > Robert Landfermann (b, effect pedals) > Jens Düppe (dr, perc, celesta)

www.myspace.com/shreefpunk

presented by

Defunkt > presented by Beluga Shipping
23 April 2009 > 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm > Hall 4.1
Maceo Parker showed us how it’s done at jazzahead! 2008: funk und jazz get on fine together. And anyone who likes jazz-funk will love Defunkt. The band will be the big headliner at the opening night and visitors can already look forward to wild, rousing city sounds. The guys around frontman and trombonist Joe Bowie have been in the business for 25 years already and were not only among the first on the market to unite popular sounds with extreme music styles, or combine funk and jazz, but were in the early years also among the pioneers of “no wave”. After 20 years away from Bremen they are now back again and have lost none of their vitality. Their fusion-jazz in pure form and their intoxicating energy are a driving pulse that stimulates listeners – echoes of New York.

Line-up: Joseph Bowie (voc, tb) > Kim Clarke (b) > Alex Harding (bars) > Adam Klipple (keys) > Tobias Ralph (dr)

Agency Tsahara: www.tsahara.com

presented by

Norma Winstone, Klaus Gesing & Glauco Venier
24 April 2009 > 7:45 pm - 8:45 pm > Hall 4.1
After winning the BBC Award and being on the 2007 honours list of Queen Elizabeth, Norma Winstone is considered to be the best-known jazz voice in Europe. In fact, together with Marilyn Mazur she is one of the few big female names in European jazz. In the past she set up the successful trio Azimuth together with Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor. Now, with the German soprano saxophonist Klaus Gesing, and the Italian composer, pianist and university lecturer Glauco Venier, she has found two new partners for her current ECM album. Its programme is inspiring, in particular due to Venier’s empathic arrangements combined with the multifaceted voice of Norma Winstone. On this album the grande dame of international jazz vocals gives a more subtle but no less fascinating performance of both songs she wrote herself and lyrics by Cole Porter and Peter Gabriel. And to someone who has played with all the stars of European jazz there’s really only one thing you can say – Congratulations on receiving the jazzahead! Škoda Award!

Line-up: Norma Winstone (voc) > Klaus Gesing (sax, b cl) > Glauco Venier (p)

www.normawinstone.com > www.klausgesing.com > www.orpheusmanagement.it/artisti/venier

Farmers Market
24 April 2009 > 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm > Hall 4.1
A Norwegian band with Bulgarian influences – strange? No, because Farmers Market succeeds in doing what at first sight may appear confusing: in their music the reputedly contradictory wild Eastern European rhythms and ice cold Scandinavian sounds become one. And the result is definitely convincing: an intoxicating mixture of Bulgarian folk music, pop, jazz standards and a lot of esprit! With that the band has not only contrived to unite the contrasting elements of the European continent but is already one of the best loved live bands in Norway. So: take your places on the dance floor!

Line-up: Stian Carstensen (acc, g, pedal steel, bj, fl, voc) > Nils-Olav Johansen (g, voc) > Finn Guttormsen (b) > Jarle Vespestad (dr) > Trifon Trifonov (sax)

www.myspace.com/farmersmarkettheband

radio.string.quartet.vienna & Klaus Paier
25 April 2009 > 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm > Hall 4.1
The string quartet around Klaus Paier surprises listeners already on account of the instrumentation: four string players and an accordionist prove that it doesn’t always have to be piano trios. A combination of their own compositions and pieces by the recently deceased Old Master Joe Zawinul takes listeners to the musical roots of Klaus Paier, Bernd Mallinger, Johannes Dickbauer, Cynthia Liao and Asja Valcic. Through the strings and the accordion, folklore from southern and southeast Europe fuses with classic and jazz, and elements of rock meet the charm of the Alps. And so the quartet is always pleased to hear a visitor say: “I’ve never heard anything like that before!”


Line-up: Klaus Paier (acc, bandoneon) > Bernie Mallinger (v) > Johannes Dickbauer (v) > Cynthia Liao (va) > Asja Valcic (vc)

www.radiostringquartet.com

Abercrombie / Versace / Nussbaum > presented by Beck's
25 April 2009 > 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm > Hall 4.1
Together with McLaughlin and Scofield, John Abercrombie is among the absolute stars of guitar jazz. He combines new technologies with classic jazz standards in a unique way, always making sure that the bridge from the present to the past does not degenerate into pure repetition and that the roots are still unmistakable. With the pianist, organist and accordionist Gary Versace, and one of the big jazz drummers Adam Nussbaum he has two American musicians at his side who have already given guest performances on international stages with big names like Sonny Rollins, Gary Burton, Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, David Liebmann – and John Scofield.

Line-up: John Abercrombie (g) > Gary Versace (org) > Adam Nussbaum (dr)

www.johnabercrombie.com > www.garyversace.com > www.adamnussbaum.net

presented by

NDR Bigband / feat. Gwilym Simcock / feat. Susi Hyldgaard > presented by Sparda-Bank & Sparda-Bank Stiftung
26 April 2009 > 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm > Hall 4.1
The NDR Big Band will be giving guest performances with two young and aspiring stars from the European scene at jazzahead! 2009: the English pianist and export hit Gwilym Simcock and the new Danish voice of Susi Hyldgaard. When Simcock meets the big formation gentle piano tones mix with intoxicating sound carpets. His style, influenced by his mentor John Taylor, is harmoniously flowing and so wonderfully characteristic that he is considered to be one of the most promising pianists of his day.
In the second set the voice of Susi Hyldgaard works magic on the stage – something that does not happen very often: a combination of the catchy without drifting into the naïve or unsophisticated. And throughout, her music is just as pragmatic as it is emotional. This is the result of her attitude: Susi Hyldgaard hardly listens to any music, she prefers to make it herself, and if it isn’t inspiring she doesn’t play it.

Direction: Jörg Achim Keller
Solists: Gwilym Simcock (p) > Susi Hyldgaard (voc)

Line-up: Thorsten Benkenstein, Ingolf Burkhardt, Claus Stötter, Reiner Winterschladen (tp) > Fiete Felsch, Peter Bolte, Christof Lauer, Lutz Büchner, Frank Delle (sax) > Dan Gottshall, Klaus Heidenreich, Stefan Lottermann (tb) > Ingo Lahme (btb) > Stephan Diez (g) > Ingmar Heller (b) > Martin France (dr) > Marcio Doctor (perc)

www.gwilymsimcock.com > www.susihyldgaard.dk > www.ndr.de/bigband

presented by